How about a Norwegian baby name for your newborn? Traditional Scandinavian names continue to cycle back into fashion, while international influences still shape naming choices. Here’s what the latest 2025 data reveals about baby name trends in Norway.
Choosing a baby name is one of the first big decisions parents make, and naming trends often reflect wider cultural shifts. Some names endure for generations, others fade away, only to return decades later.
In Norway, baby names sit at the crossroads of tradition, modern taste, and global influence.
Each year, Statistics Norway (SSB) publishes its baby name statistics, offering a fascinating snapshot of how Norwegian society is changing.
The 2025 rankings mark a clear shift at the top, with Emma and Noah reclaiming first place, alongside several notable comebacks and regional surprises.
Classic names are once again on the rise, while a handful of long-dominant favourites have slipped down the rankings. Let’s take a closer look.
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Top Baby Names in Norway
Emma and Noah were the most popular baby names in Norway in 2025, both climbing from second place the year before.
After holding second place for five consecutive years, Emma returned to the top of the most popular girls’ baby names list. In 2025, 386 girls were named Emma, a modest increase of seven from the previous year.
On the boys’ side, Noah climbed to first place after three years in second, with 477 boys given the name in 2025. That represents a sharp increase from 402 the year before.
“Since the turn of the millennium, Noah has grown significantly in popularity. Even so, he has only topped the list once before, in 2021, so 2025 marks a real comeback,” said Anders Sønstebø, senior advisor at Statistics Norway.
The full top ten lists are available at the end of this article. But first, let's dig into the trends in more detail.
A Historic Comeback: Astrid Returns
The most striking comeback of the year belongs to Astrid, which re-entered the top 10 after an absence of 80 years.
Astrid was a staple of Norwegian naming charts from 1896 until 1945, with only a single interruption in 1943. After decades outside the top rankings, Astrid returned in 2025 at 10th place.
“This is a classic example of name cycles,” said Sønstebø. “It often takes 100 to 120 years for a name to fall out of favour and then regain popularity.”
New and Returning Names on the Top 10 Lists
In addition to Astrid, Frida is a new entry on the girls’ top 10 list. While Frida has appeared on the list before, it is the fastest-rising girls’ name of 2025, climbing sharply with 337 births, up 74 from the previous year. That surge places Frida at 7th place.
Among boys’ names, there are three newcomers to the top 10 compared with 2024: Oskar, Elias, and Isak. All three have appeared on the most popular boys' names in Norway list in the past.
Elias and Isak have moved in and out of the top rankings throughout the 2000s, while Oskar follows a longer historical cycle. Oskar was a common name in the early 1900s and has steadily risen again since the turn of the millennium.
The Biggest Climbers and Fallers
Several names saw notable movement in 2025.
Did you know parents can't pick just any name in Norway? Check out this article all about the banned names in Norway. It might surprise you!
Among boys’ names, Noah was the biggest climber, joined by Birk, Oskar, and Kasper, all of which gained popularity over the year. One of the biggest surprises was Bjørn, which was given to 119 boys, an increase of 41 from 2024.
Meanwhile, Oliver, which had spent ten consecutive years in the top 10, experienced the steepest drop. It fell from third place in 2024 to ninth place in 2025.
On the girls’ side, Frida topped the climbers’ list, with Hennie close behind. Hennie was given to 250 girls in 2025, an increase of 72 births, pushing it from 30th place to 15th.
The biggest decline among girls’ names was Sara, which had appeared on the top list for 18 consecutive years between 2000 and 2018. In 2025, 195 girls were named Sara, down from 238 the year before, dropping it from 18th place to 29th.
Double Names Remain Most Common in Northern Norway
In 2025, 16% of children received a double name, with girls slightly more likely than boys to do so. The most popular double name was Emma Sofie, given to 18 children.
Double names remain significantly more common in Northern Norway, where around one in four children received a double name. This contrasts sharply with Western Norway, where only 12% of children in Rogaland and Vestland were given double names.
According to SSB, the overall decline in double names may be linked to more parents choosing to give children both parents’ surnames, reducing the perceived need for longer given names.
Strong Regional Differences in Baby Names
Now, let's take a quick look around the counties of Norway. Despite topping the national list, Noah does not appear among the top ten boys’ names in either Oslo or Buskerud. In Oslo, Noah ranks only 16th.
Similarly, although Emma is the most popular girls’ name nationwide, it tops the list in just four of Norway’s 15 counties: Buskerud, Telemark, Vestland, and Troms. Emma does not appear in the top ten in Vestfold, Trøndelag, Rogaland, or Nordland.
Nordland stands out in particular. There, Ulrik and Aurora were the most popular baby names in 2025. Nationally, Ulrik ranks 20th, while Aurora sits at 17th, highlighting just how distinctive regional naming patterns can be.
Oslo’s rankings also reflect immigration patterns, with Mohammad topping the boys’ list in the capital despite ranking much lower at the national level.
This is the top 10 list for boys' names in Oslo: Mohammad, Jakob, Oskar, William, Emil, Theodor, Gustav, Filip, Jens, Ludvig.
This is the top 10 list for girls' names in Oslo: Sofia, Frida, Emma, Sofie, Hennie, Nora, Astrid, Alma, Leah, Eva
Top 10 Boys’ Names in Norway (2025):
- Noah
- Jakob
- Lukas
- Emil
- Oskar
- William
- Elias
- Isak
- Oliver
- Ludvig
Top 10 Girls’ Names in Norway (2025):
- Emma
- Olivia
- Nora
- Sofie
- Leah
- Ella
- Frida
- Sophia
- Ellinor
- Astrid
Should You Choose a Norwegian Baby Name?
Choosing a Scandinavian name can be a meaningful way to connect with the country’s culture, history, and traditions.
Many Norwegian names draw on Old Norse roots, nature, and centuries-old naming customs, reflecting themes of strength, resilience, and identity. Others feel timeless and international, fitting comfortably both in Norway and abroad.
That said, practical considerations still matter. Pronunciation, spelling, and cultural familiarity can make a big difference, especially if you live outside Scandinavia.
Whether inspired by heritage, a love of Nordic culture, or simply the sound of the name itself, Norwegian baby names continue to offer a rich blend of tradition and modern appeal.
Interesting in that here in the U. S. My nephew named his young son Magnus in combination with a very Norwegian last name. And the country abounds with”Eric’s” of everything spelling combined with last names of what seem to reflect all nationalities. So let’s hear it for the new Ragnar in Norway.
I want to give Ragnar as middle name to my baby. But then I’m thinking, will it make People laugh, exposing his mom as a sucker for Vikings tv series 😆
My older son is Espen, just because I used to live in Norway and admired the country and its people. So I want to give Norwegian name to my new offspring to keep it consistent.
Ragnar was my Norwegian uncle’s name. It is a nice name.
All the variations of Philip are listed together, but William and Liam are not despite them being related to each other… Why is that?
Because the choice between William and Liam is a choice of name, not a choice of spelling.
can’t some one go by Liam for short, nickname?
William is of Germanic origin while Liam is an Irish / Celtic name they are not related
What about all the Tor’s?
Tor Erik, Tor Evert, Tor Ever, etc.
Our child names are:Girl :Ingebjürg Elene ,Boy:Bjørn Erik Olav and Girl: Kirsten Hildebjørg.
Umm, how can there be a comment from 2018 for an article about 2023 baby names???
Because we update the article every year.
The article date is February 2, 2022. Then how can it possibly be about “fully year rankings for 2023”??
Because we update the article every year.
Loved the article-interesting read.